2017 Review of the Best Scientific Data Management Systems

Do you want to increase your productivity using data sharing and collaboration tools in your lab? A scientific data management system (SDMS) can be a solution.

An SDMS is a piece of software that acts as a document management system.

SDMSs integrate information from organization offices (safety documents for example) with data from lab devices and other data management tools. It allows you to securely share, compare, search, query, re-use device data, and documents across the organization. It eliminates manual or paper-based data handling.

Basically, it reduces costs and improves collaboration, decision-making process, and provides long-term data protection.

In research, it is used for capturing, cataloging, and archiving the data generated by laboratory instruments, like HPLC or mass spectrometer for example.

It can also be used to manage data generated by lab applications such as laboratory information management systems ( LIMS) or electronic laboratory notebooks ( ELN).

You may wonder who can provide you with an SDMS, or which SDMS are popular and what are the features they offer. Let’s dive into our 2017 review for SDMS providers.

Uncountable

Online tool (SaaS) • Made in USA • For chemistry engineering fields• Enterprise-only solution

Uncountable combines SDMS, LIMS and ELN functions with structured-data storage and project management as well as lab management tools including inventory tracking.

Uncountable gathers all R&D data in one place to which scientists have access. With its AI-based algorithms, it offers interesting combinations and promising experiments to be carried out.To get the most out of Uncountable, data must be entered in a way that is structured and conducive to analysis.

Abbott Informatics STARLIMS SDMS

Online tool (SaaS), software • For all scientific fields • Made in the USA

STARLIMS SDMShelps you to organize standard operation procedures and certificates of analysis. It also pulls in unstructured data from your lab’s instrument.

With this SDMS it is possible to create custom workflows. Those custom workflows can ensure that documents are reviewed and approved by the right people for example.

STARLIMS SDMS aims at transforming unstructured data into searchable structured information, like keywords, values, graphs and data tables that are pulled from your project files. It enables you to extract any valuable data you need easily.

As we underlined in another article about management connected solutions, a special feature from Abbott is the “SDMS Grabber” that monitors designated locations and automatically picks up and processes new files from or to it.

Finally, STARLIMS SDMS eases mobility because it allows accessing your document information from any web browser. And it even features a keyword search to find this information.

This SDMS tool integrates into the STARLIMS system you may already have in your lab.

The Core SDMS

Online tool (SaaS), software • For biopharmaceuticals and life sciences • Made in the USA

Core Informatics provides a cloud-based platform: the Core SDMS.

This SDMS provides an automated data capture framework. This framework integrates the “ Platform for Science” of Core Informatics with instruments and workflow that are in your lab.

The Core SDMS has several features aimed at increasing performance and reduces the time spent entering data. It includes automated or manual loading of files, the creation of multiple entity types with one file, as well as barcodes associations. It allows entities to have unique locations and/or projects and assigns barcodes and/or names for created entities.

This SDMS Supports a wide range of file formats such as XLS, XLSX, tab-delimited TXT files, and more and it also supports spreadsheets with multiple worksheets in Excel.

No manual re-formatting of exported files is required to manage your data.

The system sends notifications, error emails, for example, to explain where data problems occurred and why, before loading the data created.

StackWave SDMS

Online tool (SaaS), software • For all scientific fields • Made in the USA

StackWave describes its SDMS as the ultimate tool to monitor any laboratory instrument, computer, or software application. It allows automating downstream processes or sends notifications to key personnel in response to important events.

The StackWave’s platform, LabInspector, for laboratory equipment management enables you to get the full picture of the laboratory’s operation.

Its features enable the researchers in the lab to monitor your devices, errors, maintenance operations, and more.

To track environmental conditions like temperature and light exposure. It enables to track barcodes passively through the automated robotic systems.

The StackWave SDMS to track and store barcode associations to be queried by downstream analysis methods.

StackWave SDMS can transform data from an experiment and import it directly into an external system, such as a LIMS or an ELN that may be in place in your laboratory.

LogiLab SDMS

Online tool (SaaS), software • For all scientific fields • Made in India, the USA and Poland

LogiLab SDMS is there to capture and organize data in a central repository. Meaning that all the information can be stored and accessed from a central server based repository by implementing this SDMS in your lab.

LogiLab reminds that its SDMS is independent of the instrument manufacturer and model so that you can use it with all your set up instruments.

Regularly, instruments do not have the right software that helps organizations to become 21 CFR Part 11 compliant.

The 21 CFR Part 11 regulation was issued by the Food and Drug Administration in 1997. It was designed to allow the most comprehensive use of electronic technology. It consists of two distinct sections: electronic records and electronic signatures.

LogiLab SDMS has a unique solution that helps to bring instruments under 21 CFR Part 11 compliance: the “CFR Gateway”. It is similar to a virtual wrapper for any non-compliant application. Therefore, there is no need to replace old and expensive instruments to respect this regulation.

NuGenesis SDMS

Online tool (SaaS), software • For all scientific fields • Made in the USA

Waters’ NuGenesis platform integrates data management, protocol, and sample management capabilities to support your products from research to manufacturing.

This platform includes NuGenesis SDMS, a data repository capable of regulatory compliance; NuGenesis ELN, a flexible and user-friendly electronic lab notebook; and the NuGenesis sample management system.

NuGenesis SDMS automatically manages data capture, indexing, and secure storage in compliance with regulatory requirements.

The system detects new contents in your servers, projects, and data types. The resulting database catalog makes it easy and fast to search all servers, projects, and data types. Moreover, NuGenesis SDMS integrates Waters’ Paradigm Scientific Search software. This software enables fast and accurate searches like text and keyword search, by scanned image, or by analytical data set.